According to the new Observatory of French Holidays EDV-Orchestra, departures recorded from August 1 to 26 show a 9.3% drop in the number of bookings and a 7% decline in business volume compared with August 2025. The rise in the average basket, from 2.6% to €2,287, only softens the decline.
However, the data reveal a positive signal: bookings made in August are rising again.
In August 2026, the number of bookings grows by 2.9% year on year while the business volume leaps by 7.6%. The average basket reaches €1,697, up 4.6%.
The average booking lead time indeed stands at 55 days, i.e., two days longer than in 2025. More importantly, the share of bookings made less than 30 days before departure drops to 46.2%, compared with 49.7% a year earlier. Conversely, bookings made more than 90 days in advance rise slightly, to 18.9% versus 18% in 2025.
The recovery in sales thus does not signal a mass shift to last-minute bookings, but rather a slight reintroduction of forward planning in booking behaviors, explains the barometer.
The infographic: numbers at a glance
Confirmed slowdown compared to August 2025: business volume -7.0%, bookings -9.3%, average basket up (+2.6%) to €2,287. The rise in the basket does not offset the decline in volumes; the summer season remains downward oriented. Long-haul remains the most affected segment (-16.1% in bookings).
Medium-haul
Long-haul
Recovery in the trend after several months of decline: the business volume returns to positive (+7.6%), supported by a rise in bookings (+2.9%) and in the average basket (+4.6% to €1,697). The average booking lead time is 55 days, two days longer than in 2025.
Medium-haul
Long-haul
To date, reservations for September 2026 departures remain below 2025: business volume -5.4%, bookings -5.8%, average basket almost stable (+0.4% at €1,959). Long-haul concentrates the sharpest decline (-16.6% in bookings).
Medium-haul
Long-haul
Departures & reservations August: 01/08 – 26/08/2026 · September: reservations 01/01 – 26/08/2026, departures 01/09 – 30/09/2026.
Data from travel agencies using the Orchestra platform (20+ brands, at least 2 years).
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Published by Amelia Brille 
